Paul of Tarsus

Born Saul of Tarsus, Paul was a Jewish Pharisee educated in Jerusalem and a zealous persecutor of early Christians. His life took a radical turn when he was struck by a vision of the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, leading to his dramatic conversion. After three days of blindness, he was baptized and began to preach Christ. He became one of the greatest missionaries in Christian history, undertaking several major journeys across Asia Minor, Greece, and potentially as far as Rome, establishing numerous Christian communities. His thirteen epistles, integrated into the New Testament, are fundamental texts of Christian theology, profoundly influencing the doctrine and practice of the Church. Traditionally, he was martyred in Rome under Emperor Nero, by beheading, around 67 AD.